Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses the European Parliament special session, from a screen, to debate its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium March 1, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Britain to do more to assist his country in fighting Russia and punishing “the terrorist state,” declaring defiantly that Ukraine will fight for its survival at any cost.
In a speech to the British parliament, Zelenskyy detailed the Russian invasion day by day, identifying the weaponry used, civilians murdered, and those running out of food and water. He was received with a standing ovation in a full room of parliamentarians.
He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has sought to play a prominent role in aiding Ukraine against Russia, for the assistance already provided, but said Britain and other Western countries needed to go further, imposing further sanctions. He requested that they recognize Russia as a “terrorist state”.
“The question for us now is whether to be or not to be,” Zelenskyy said through videolink to parliament.
“We are not going to give up and we are not going to lose.” We will battle to the death on the sea and in the air, and we will continue to fight for our homeland at any cost. We’ll fight in the woods, the fields, the sand dunes, and the streets.”
“Please ratchet up the pressure on this country (Russia), recognize it as a terrorist state, and ensure that our Ukrainian skies are protected… Please make certain that you complete the necessary tasks.”